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MMC - Feb 09 - Space Hotels
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MMC - Feb 09 - Space Hotels // Work in Progress
Post by Breech Block // Feb 17, 2009, 1:14pm
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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When I was a kid growing up in the sixties, the TV was always showing you how in the future, you will be going on your annual holiday in an orbiting space hotel. These programs always featured fantastic oil paintings/artists impressions that showed just how such trips would take place and how quickly it would all become routine. So, my entry is going to try and recreate the look of those glamorous pieces of 60's space art.
So, the first thing I need is a classic 1960s space station. Okay, so it doesn't look like much but at least it's a start. :o |
Post by marcel // Feb 17, 2009, 1:40pm
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marcel
Total Posts: 569
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When I was a kid growing up in the sixties, the TV was always showing you how in the future, you will be going on your annual holiday in an orbiting space hotel. These programs always featured fantastic oil paintings/artists impressions that showed just how such trips would take place and how quickly it would all become routine. So, my entry is going to try and recreate the look of those glamorous pieces of 60's space art.
So, the first thing I need is a classic 1960s space station. Okay, so it doesn't look like much but at least it's a start. :o
A new thread! cool! I have a huge collection of comic book from sixties and seventies at my home. I have a lot of books of sf artist from these period too. :) |
Post by robert // Feb 17, 2009, 2:03pm
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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At least you didn't have the start for the death star... place sphere, done. :D |
Post by jamesmc // Feb 17, 2009, 3:12pm
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Turn your head for a moment, I need to steal some space towels and soap. |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 17, 2009, 4:02pm
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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Great comments guys. :)
@ jamesmc - Turn your head for a moment, I need to steal some space towels and soap.
Lol, but there is no need for me to turn my head James. Don't you know, in space nobody can hear you steal. :D :D :D
Here's the latest update. |
Post by robert // Feb 17, 2009, 6:39pm
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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Okay I see where this one is going, reminds me of "The Wheel" (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/The_Wheel) space station from Star Wars, or one of the trade federation ships, Battleship (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Trade_Federation_Battleship) or Droid Control Ship (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Trade_Federation_Droid_Control_Ship).
There are tons more on that site if you're interested. |
Post by Weevil // Feb 18, 2009, 12:44am
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Weevil
Total Posts: 534
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Very good start Breech, you seem to have a knack for starting a scene with something that looks lik a valve handle :D |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 18, 2009, 6:46am
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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@ robert - Okay I see where this one is going, reminds me of The Wheel...
Mmm, intresting. I'm a bit of a Star Wars fan as anyone who has seen my pics in Splinters "Show us yer room" thread will have probably guessed. Never heard of the wheel before though. Nice links BTW so many thanks for them. I must admit though, that for reasons I'm not entirely sure of, when it comes to influencing my 3D work I seem to steer well clear of Star Wars franchise. Dunno whether it's because it is too cliche or whether I'm afraid I wont do it justice.
Anyhow, before I enter any challenge, I always do tons of research and the piccie below is the one that really inspired me.
@ Weevil - Very good start Breech, you seem to have a knack for starting a scene with something that looks like a valve handle.
LOL! I'd never even noticed that before. I'm sure Sigmund Freud would have a ton to say about that. :p
Anyhow's, have started work on some support ships that are finishing the construction of the hotel and have decided upon the layout of the final scene. Of course the real hard thing about this MMC is trying to meet the requirement of getting a kind of retro look. Trying to achieve that classic 60's look is gonna be a tough nut to crack, especially when it comes to textures and lighting. |
Post by jamesmc // Feb 18, 2009, 6:58am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Looking good!
Show us how you do the texturing on said objects. It will be a learning experience for us all. |
Post by spyfrog // Feb 18, 2009, 8:36am
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spyfrog
Total Posts: 181
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@ robert - Okay I see where this one is going, reminds me of The Wheel...
Mmm, intresting. I'm a bit of a Star Wars fan as anyone who has seen my pics in Splinters "Show us yer room" thread will have probably guessed. Never heard of the wheel before though. Nice links BTW so many thanks for them. I must admit though, that for reasons I'm not entirely sure of, when it comes to influencing my 3D work I seem to steer well clear of Star Wars franchise. Dunno whether it's because it is too cliche or whether I'm afraid I wont do it justice.
Anyhow, before I enter any challenge, I always do tons of research and the piccie below is the one that really inspired me.
@ Weevil - Very good start Breech, you seem to have a knack for starting a scene with something that looks like a valve handle.
LOL! I'd never even noticed that before. I'm sure Sigmund Freud would have a ton to say about that. :p
Anyhow's, have started work on some support ships that are finishing the construction of the hotel and have decided upon the layout of the final scene. Of course the real hard thing about this MMC is trying to meet the requirement of getting a kind of retro look. Trying to achieve that classic 60's look is gonna be a tough nut to crack, especially when it comes to textures and lighting.
Have you told TinTin that you stolen his spaceship? Better watch out for commander Haddock. ;) |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 18, 2009, 3:13pm
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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@ jamesmc - Show us how you do the texturing on said objects. It will be a learning experience for us all.
Having thought about it a bit more, and taking in to account the rapidly approaching deadline, all I'm going to do is use a very restricted palette and see how that fares. If that turns out to be a complete failure, I'll let you know what else I come up with. :)
@ spyfrog - Have you told TinTin that you stolen his spaceship? Better watch out for commander Haddock.
I am unaware of Cmdr Haddock's ship design and a search on the internet made me non the wiser. However, its the right era, so if my model made you think of that ship, then I must be doing something right. :D
Here is another craft I have been working on. This one gets assembled in space, hence no fins and is just used to unload the cargo ships that bring up the hotels construction materials. |
Post by robert // Feb 18, 2009, 3:36pm
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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Well you're doing good so far, just cross that texturing bridge when you get to it. ;) |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 19, 2009, 11:56am
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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Thanks robert.
Here is the latest update. I'm working on a retro style astronaut that will be helping out in the construction area. Needless to say he will be very small and hence the low detail. It just needs some gloves and a basic face and then its job done. The model is fully posable so I'll probably have quite a few dotted about the scene.
Next in line is a space liner shuttling in some more hotel guests. |
Post by spyfrog // Feb 19, 2009, 12:03pm
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spyfrog
Total Posts: 181
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A link to Tintins spacecraft...
actually, the craft was created by the scientist in the serie, Professor Calculus.
Here is the Wikipedia link - look at the image. :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destination_Moon_(Tintin) |
Post by marcel // Feb 19, 2009, 12:18pm
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marcel
Total Posts: 569
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I like retro style for space technologie.I Like Flash Gordon. I did a spaceship for my movie. Here is a short clip for you. :) |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 20, 2009, 6:35pm
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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@ spyfrog - Mmm, very V2 looking. I like the idea of the thrusters in the fins. Thanks for the link.
@ marcel - Great vid marcel. The film quality, ie no artefacts, was amazing.
Here are my latest updates. The astronaut is done and I have placed them in the scene adding a tether for that additional retro look. |
Post by spyfrog // Feb 21, 2009, 4:35am
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spyfrog
Total Posts: 181
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@ spyfrog - Mmm, very V2 looking. I like the idea of the thrusters in the fins. Thanks for the link.
@ marcel - Great vid marcel. The film quality, ie no artefacts, was amazing.
Here are my latest updates. The astronaut is done and I have placed them in the scene adding a tether for that additional retro look.
I love the texture you have on your astronaut - it looks really live with the small wrinkles in the fabric.
One question however - is the doughnut shaped spaceport they are building pressurized or something in the rest of the area that isn't under construction?
The reason I ask is since it isn't hollow it looks like there is a walls that separate the building area from the rest of the spaceport. This also makes it looks a bit like that the doughnut is solid. Perhaps this will become clear when you add more detail.
Keep up the good work. |
Post by jamesmc // Feb 21, 2009, 5:15am
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jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
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Excellent!
Liking it a lot, will be following with interest and a doughnut in my hand. |
Post by robert // Feb 21, 2009, 6:23am
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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One could easily take several months with this, too bad you (technically) have only one. |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 21, 2009, 8:36am
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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Thanks for all the comments guys.
@ spyfrog - the donut is hollow, but only on the section they are working on. Hopefully now I have applied a basic texture it will be more apparant. Once I've decked the whole place out woth portholes I think it will also look better.
@ jamesmc - thanks james, glad you like it.
@ robert - time is against me I know, still tons to do and like you said this could be a 3 month project easly. So just slapping bits together really, although with the latest update below, I think its starting to look quite reasonable. |
Post by Steinie // Feb 21, 2009, 9:16am
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Steinie
Total Posts: 3667
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Very 50's...not that this means anything to me.:rolleyes:
Looks really good.
BTW does that guy have a neck? |
Post by robert // Feb 21, 2009, 11:20am
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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He's 2D man, since he can survive as such he doesn't need his neck.:rolleyes: |
Post by kena // Feb 21, 2009, 12:20pm
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kena
Total Posts: 2321
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The silver cowling encloses his neck - makes it look like he is a floating head from some angles. |
Post by RAYMAN // Feb 21, 2009, 12:34pm
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RAYMAN
Total Posts: 1496
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Looks good !
Do you guys remember those articulate figures or is my remberance totally wrong... they came with this kind of space suits too !
Aw those 60 ties !
Peter |
Post by marcel // Feb 21, 2009, 12:57pm
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marcel
Total Posts: 569
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I have a collection of old books named "amazing stories".
Type this name on google images. There is a lot of ideas. ;)
That i prefer is my old edition of "flash gordon" by Alex Raymond. A masterpiece.
I have old edition of Tintin, all the first Marvel comics groups, first edition of Franck Frazetta, Burn hogarth, John buscema, Harold Forster, ...for true experts. my bedroom is a museum :D |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 21, 2009, 3:00pm
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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Gosh - loads of comments. Thanks all.
With regards the feedback on the astronauts neck (or lack of :D) at a higher resoloution the detail was more clear and so wasn't a problem. To address the concerns raised, I have given him an internal flight suit to better explain the division around the neck area. Other improvements include:
Fleshing out the hotel details a bit more, though still a lot to more to do, moved the spiral galaxy to the top left corner, moved the main astronaut to better catch the spacestation's reflection in his helmet and rearranged the support ship in bottom left corner and added a better material and bumpmap. Provisional textures also added to the construction ship. |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 21, 2009, 5:37pm
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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In addition to the image corrections in the above post, I have also been working on the space liner that will ferry the hotel's passengers to and from Earth. This has been the most enjoyable part of the project so far as I'm now slowly begining to understand how to use SDS. This model is a sort of hybrid betwen the Pan Am Space Clipper seen in 2001 A Space Oddessey and the much hyped (at the time I was a kid) British Hotol spacecraft that was seen as the way forward to everyday space travel. |
Post by robert // Feb 22, 2009, 9:03am
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robert
Total Posts: 609
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Pretty sweet, I like how that thing looks. :D |
Post by Nez // Feb 23, 2009, 12:28am
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Nez
Total Posts: 1102
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Looking great as usual Breech, multiple vehicles, numerous figures (sounds familiar - need SNAT on their back? ;))
I hoped someone would take on a 'classic' space-station structure and you're doing it in style... look forward to seeing how you pull it together - I'm sure you'll be able to capitalise on the few extra days we've kindly been given... |
Post by Breech Block // Feb 23, 2009, 6:55am
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Breech Block
Total Posts: 844
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Thanks for the comments guys. I always find it inspiring to find my work has been viewed and commented on when I come back to update a WIP. And, as I'm sure you both know, these MMC's can be a bit of a slugfest and that sometimes, you really do need that bit of extra inspiration to get the project finished.
@ robert - glad you like it robert. It never ceases to amaze me how SDS can work its magic on a few simple blocks.
@ Nez - Thanks very much for the kind words Nez. The great thing about this scene is no horizon lines to worry about. :D
I've managed to place some textures on the space liner. A point to note here is, that to date, I have always found the tS UV mapping utility quite adequate and have always wondered why fellow artists like MadMouse have sung the praise of other UV mapping software. For this model though, it being highly organic in nature, I just couldn't get it to look anything close to how I wanted it. Guess I've finally seen the light. Anyhow's here are a couple piccies of the space liner in its retro Pan Am livery before it gets shrunk down and inserted into the scene. |
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